English Minor in Creative Writing
Starting in fall 2025, UVA students can declare a minor in creative writing. The eighteen-credit minor is open to all undergraduates; however, English majors cannot declare because the College does not allow students to major and minor in the same department. Students from schools like engineering, commerce, architecture, education, nursing, etc., are encouraged to declare. The minor does not have prerequisites, except that, like every minor at UVA, you must declare a major before you declare a minor.
| Classes (Hours) Required | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Three classes (nine hours) | Students take three ENCW workshop courses, two of which must be at the 3000 level or higher. The workshop courses can be in multiple disciplines, so students can minor by taking a mixture of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing, or they can specialize in just one genre. Students can apply one ENCW 2000-level course toward the minor. |
| One class (three hours) | Students take one ENCW 4550 (topics in literary prose) or one ENCW 4820 (poetry poetics) course. Our creative writing faculty typically teach these classes and the courses help students examine a range of literature through the eyes of a writer and with a focus on literary craft. |
| Two classes (six hours) | Students take two ENGL literature courses at the 3000 level or higher. One of the courses must have a pre-1900 focus. |
On an exception basis, students can substitute up to one ENWR course as part of the minor.
Declaring the Minor
Interested students can declare the minor by using the college's "Declare a Major or Minor" form at this page. Students must have already declared a major before declaring a minor. Please fill in "James S. Livingood" and "jsl9z@virginia.edu" under the "Declaration of Major/Minor Contact (DMC)" blanks.
Students declaring a minor in creative writing need to adhere to the College's minor declaration polices, outlined on this page. Among those policies, please note that most students must declare a minor before the add deadline of their next-to-last semester at UVA. This usually means students must declare the minor before the College's fall add deadline in their fourth year.